


Where Roots Can Grow

by Kapua



Category: Aquaman (2018), Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: AU, Aquaman - Freeform, Diana prince - Freeform, F/F, Mera - Freeform, Wondermera, diana/mera - Freeform, mera/wonder woman, wonder woman - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 05:30:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17176811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kapua/pseuds/Kapua
Summary: The WonderMera Flowershop AU…aka Mera runs a flower shop in Paris.  Diana works at the Louvre.  Their paths have a funny way of crossing.They're still Wonder Woman and Princess Y'Mera Xebella Challa, but no canon guarantees beyond that.





	1. Chapter 1

Diana is at her wit’s end by the time she ends up at Fleur du Xebel. 

Three other florists had guaranteed they could help her with a very particular order for a very particular client who was contemplating making a sizeable donation to the Louvre, and all three had mysteriously failed to deliver. She had called and visited what felt like every flower shop in all of Paris at this point, and Fleur du Xebel was her last hope. She sent a silent prayer to the gods that the shop could help her before pushing inside. 

The interior of the shop was warm and humid, the air faintly perfumed with the scent of various blooms. Walking further into the room, Diana let her fingers run over the various leaves as she looked for someone who could assist her.

“I wouldn’t touch that one if I were you. It has a bit of a bite.”

Diana’s hand hovered over a plant that was a particularly unusual shade of green, red veins running brightly across the leaves. 

“Interesting choice of plant to keep in stock,” Diana replied, turning to look for whoever had spoken.

“Some of my customers have…unorthodox tastes,” the apparent shopkeeper said, shrugging as she stepped into view. Diana’s breath caught in her throat for a moment at the vision suddenly standing in front of her: pale skin, enormous eyes the color of sea foam, and flaming red hair that fell in loose waves. The woman looked like a modern-day Aphrodite, and Diana couldn’t seem to form any coherent thoughts beyond _She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life._

Realizing abruptly that she was staring, Diana cleared her throat and nodded. “Yes, I’d heard that you specialize in plants that other shops refuse to carry. That’s why I’m here, actually, I need to know whether you can help me get something for a client of mine.”

The other woman arched a brow at Diana, and in spite of the fact that she was a trained warrior, Diana struggled not to shrink under the astute gaze. She had the distinct impression that she was being evaluated, and she hoped desperately that she wouldn’t be found wanting.

The shopkeeper must have been satisfied with what she saw, because after a long moment she nodded at Diana. “Yes, Ms. Prince, as it happens I’m aware of your predicament. Several of the other shopkeepers called me hoping I would source the plant you seek for them.”

Diana blinked at the other woman in astonishment. “They wanted you to get the plant for them?”

The redhead nodded, leading the way towards the back of the shop. “It’s not uncommon. But some plants are not to be trifled with, and this is one of them. I wouldn’t trust just anyone with one of these.”

“But you would trust me?” The words were out before Diana could think twice, and she winced.

“I would,” the shopkeeper replied, seemingly amused by the question.

“But you don’t even know me!” 

Leveling Diana with a cool stare, the shopkeeper said, “Diana Prince. Works at the Louvre. Specialty in ancient collections. Moved here from London six years ago, before that you worked at the National Gallery with an emphasis on the World War II collection. If I’m not mistaken you had a hand in securing some additional funding for the Bletchley Park museum as well. Would you like me to keep going?”

Diana felt a pang of unease at how much the woman knew. _If she knows this much, what else has she uncovered?_

Noticing Diana’s discomfort, the shopkeep gave her a small lopsided smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I do this to everyone who comes through my doors. Nobody comes here for roses,” she said, a strange undercurrent of wistfulness in her tone, “and I would never want to sell a plant that would be used to cause harm down the line. One can’t be too careful these days.” 

“But I promise you,” she reached out and placed a light hand on Diana’s arm, “Unless they mean to do harm, the secrets of all who come through my shop never leave these walls.”

Diana watched the redhead’s face carefully as she spoke and nodded once when she was done talking. There had been no lie in her eyes, and whatever she might know, Diana felt confident that it would go no further.

Letting her hand fall away from Diana’s arm, the shopkeeper stopped in front of a door. “Wait here.”

Diana strained her ears as the woman disappeared into the small side room. She heard what sounded like running water and a splash or two, but she didn’t want to risk moving closer to try to hear more in case the shopkeeper returned unexpectedly. A few minutes later, the door reopened and a small, unassuming shrub was thrust into her hands. 

Staring at it in confusion, Diana asked, “This is it?”

The shopkeeper rolled her eyes. “Everyone always wants the flashy ones. Yes, I assure you, this is exactly what your potential donor wants to see. I handpicked it myself.”

Diana fumbled a bit, trying to juggle the shrub so that she could reach for her money. “How much do I-“

The redhead cut her off with a wave of her hand. “This one’s on me. Just— come directly to me next time you need something that ranges on the exotic end of the spectrum, okay? The other florists don’t always know what they’re doing, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

Diana realized her mouth was hanging open in surprise and quickly shut it. The other florists had stood to make more on this one plant than they would selling roses for an entire year, and this woman was giving it to her for free?

She couldn’t think of anything to say other than, “Thank you,” and the shopkeeper seemed content with that. 

“Have a good day, Ms. Prince, and good luck with that donor,” she said, turning to walk away.

“Wait!” Diana finally got out. The redhead turned to look at her expectantly, and Diana hesitated. There were so many questions she had for this woman, but the only one that seemed appropriate to vocalize was- “What’s your name?”

The shopkeeper laughed, and the silky sound rolled over Diana like the cool crystal waters of Themyscira. “Mera,” she said with a small smirk. “You can call me Mera.”

“Mera,” Diana whispered the name under her breath once, pleased with the sound of it, then said more loudly, “Thank you, Mera, truly. Your generosity and assistance is greatly appreciated.”

Mera’s smirk softened into something closer to a tiny smile, just barely lifting the corners of her mouth, and she nodded. “I hope to see more of you in the future, Ms. Prince.”

“Diana.” The brunette said firmly. “Please, call me Diana.”

Mera dipped her head in acknowledgment. “Until next time, Diana.”

Diana walked out of the shop and found herself amazed that it was still a bright and sunny afternoon outside, just as when she had entered the shop. She hadn’t been inside for more than thirty minutes, but somehow it felt like her whole world had shifted in some unnamable way.

 _Mera._ She smiled. The shopkeeper was entirely unexpected, and that was a quality that was in short supply with as many decades as Diana had lived. She had a feeling that their paths would continue to cross, and she found herself looking forward to it more than she had looked forward to anything in a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two make my heart sing <3 And I like imagining them in a parallel universe where I don't have to feel bad for breaking up Mera and Arthur.


	2. Chapter 2

The second time Diana sees Mera, it’s completely unplanned. She’s wandering about Parc de Bagatelle looking for somewhere to sit and eat a late lunch, just minding her own business and enjoying the sun. 

She turns off the main pathway and decides to head towards the rose gardens. They’re usually a bit less populated at this time in the afternoon, and she mostly just wants to find a quiet spot where she can relax in peace.

The perfume of the roses conjures an unexpected memory of being in Fleur du Xebel, and she smiles to herself. The donor had been suitably impressed by her successful acquisition of the mystery plant, and Diana had sent a short card to Mera thanking her once again. She hadn’t heard anything back, but the next day a particularly stunning fern had appeared in Diana's office. 

It had been several weeks since then, and Diana still found her thoughts turning to Mera more often than was probably appropriate. There was something about the other woman that called to Diana…she was clearly brilliant, had a strong desire to help others, and Diana was fairly sure that meta-humans and demi-gods were nothing new to her. She was intriguing in the best kind of way, and it had been a long time since Diana had a puzzle like this one walk into her life.

It also didn’t hurt that she was easily the most beautiful person Diana had ever laid eyes on. Her thoughts drifted, lazily drawing up a mental image of the other woman, until a sudden flash of color caught her eye.

Diana’s eyes widened as she saw someone with hair the exact shade of Mera’s sitting down a little side path in the roses. _There’s no way…surely it’s just wishful thinking and random coincidence._.

Unable to help herself, Diana started down the path and called out, “Mera?”

The person turned, and Diana felt a quick flutter in her stomach as she realized that it was, in fact, Mera. The redhead’s eyebrows raised slightly at the sight of Diana, but she waved the brunette over.

“Ms. Prince, how nice to see you,” she said with a smile.

“I thought I told you to call me Diana,” the Amazon said with a teasing glare. When Mera didn’t say anything else for a beat, Diana awkwardly tried to fill the silence. “I think I owe you another thank you for the fern that somehow appeared in my office a few weeks back.”

Mera laughed lowly at that, and Diana couldn’t help her answering smile. “The first thank you was quite sufficient, Diana, and the second was verging on overkill. I told you, the only thing I ask is that you come to me if you ever encounter anyone with more unusual sensibilities in the future.”

They lapsed into another minute of silence, and it abruptly occurred to Diana that perhaps the redhead didn’t want to be disturbed. _Stupid, Diana, of course she doesn’t want to be bothered. Nobody walks this far into the park and off the regular trails if they want company._

“Well, I didn’t mean to interrupt, I guess I’ll, ah, let you get back to what you were—“

“You’re welcome to join me, if you’d like.”

Mera cut Diana off mid-sentence, and when Diana didn’t respond to the invitation, the redhead patted the dirt next to her to clarify.

Diana sank down gracefully, immediately stretching her legs out and leaning back on her hands, face turned up towards the sun. She hummed under her breath, closing her eyes enjoying the sensation for a minute before turning to look at Mera.

The redhead was watching her closely, an indiscernible mix of emotions on her face, and she quickly looked away when Diana caught her eye. Mentally filing the interaction away for future analyzing, Diana reached into her bag and pulled her lunch out. 

“Do you want to share?” She asked, unwrapping her bread. “It’s not anything fancy, but I sometimes think that nothing tastes quite as delicious as fresh baked bread on a sunny afternoon.”

Mera nodded and Diana broke the baguette in half, handing her one end. They ate in companionable silence, and Diana tried to hide her smile when she saw how Mera was eating her bread. Apparently she was unsuccessful, because Mera shot her a look. “What?”

“Nothing,” Diana said, “I was just noticing that you save the inside for last.”

Mera shrugged, looking closely at her bread. “It’s the best part. All soft and pillowy and warm- only a monster would crush it and eat it at the same time as the crust.”

Diana wasn’t sure whether to be hopelessly endeared by the fact that Mera seemed to have given great consideration to the best way to eat bread or to be mildly offended by the pointed look that was thrown her way at the second comment. 

Before she could make up her mind, Mera asked, “What are you doing all the way over here, by the way? It’s a bit of a hike from the Louvre.”

“Oh, I was meeting an old colleague to discuss some new artifact collections. He works at the Naturoscope now, so I just met him there.”

“The Naturoscope?” The surprise was clear in Mera’s voice, and Diana nodded.

“He used to run acquisitions for the Louvre, but he said he wanted something simpler, something where he could see the wonder on people’s faces every day. He keeps an ear to the ground for me about any interesting developments, but most days he talks science with children and explains the magic of the world to them.”

“There’s a certain beauty in choosing a simpler life,” Mera commented quietly, and Diana suddenly felt like she’d missed some crucial transition in the conversation. She nodded and kept quiet, waiting to see whether Mera would say anything else on the subject.

After a long pause, she continued. “It’s a delicate balance, though, isn’t it? His happiness and the wonder of the children weighed against the change he could bring for the whole world if he embraced his natural gifts.”

Diana shifted a little, not quite comfortable with how close Mera’s words hit to some of the tension that constantly pulled her heart in different directions.

“I think everyone deserves something for themselves, though, something small and secret that doesn’t have to be shared with the world. Maybe those people with the weight of the world on their shoulders deserve it even more, to remind them why they keep carrying that weight.” Mera had been pulling absentmindedly at a loose thread on her pants while she spoke, but as she trailed into silence she let her hand fall back down. 

Diana’s breath stuttered for a second when she felt Mera’s hand come to rest on top of her own, and she stayed perfectly still. 

When she had been a little girl in Themyscira, maybe 9 or 10, she had been out walking in the woods by herself when she’d suddenly come upon a deer standing in a clearing. 

She’d stared into the doe’s liquid eyes, wanting more than anything to remember forever how pure a thing it was to stand close enough to a wild animal to see the fine downy hair around its ears and for the animal to stare back without fear. She had stood there in the dappled sun until the doe eventually jumped into deeper brush, but it had always remained one of her most vivid memories.

She felt the same way now, feeling the light press of Mera’s fingers against hers. Like this was a moment that was somehow purer than the world around it, and she might never feel this exact blend of giddiness and anxiety and awe ever again. She chanced a look a Mera and let her gaze linger when she saw the redhead was staring at some far-off point in the distance. There was a melancholy edge to her features, but she still looked radiant in the afternoon sun. Her hair glowed like the hottest embers at the bottom of a fire, and Diana let her eyes trace the smooth angles and planes of the other woman’s face. 

Mera turned to face her, but slowly, as if she knew Diana was trying to memorize the moment. She waited until Diana’s eyes met hers, and then she squeezed Diana’s hand, her lips creeping into a small, soft smile.

Carefully untangling their fingers, Mera leaned back until she was lying fully on the ground. Diana followed her lead, and she couldn’t help the smile that stole over her face when she felt Mera’s fingers lightly brush against hers.

They laid there like that, feeling the prickly grass under their backs and the warmth of the sun on their faces, fingertips just barely brushing against each other, until the afternoon started to slide into evening. 

They parted ways soon after, Mera saying she had to go meet a client and Diana agreeing that she should probably get back to the office as well. But later that night, lying in bed, Diana could clearly picture every single detail of that afternoon. The sunbeams in Mera’s hair, the soft curve of her lips, the sparkle in her eyes— and the gentle press of their fingertips. And she knew, without a doubt, that the next time she felt like giving up, this memory was what would spur her to keep going. 

She would fight for a hundred lifetimes if it meant a chance to have an afternoon like today’s, if it meant she might get another chance to see the playful, coy way that Mera looked up at her through her dark lashes when she caught Diana staring. 

She had no idea what this thing was between her and Mera— she didn’t even know that much about the other woman (and that would have to be remedied, but now was not the time for worrying about that)— but she knew that it was _good_. It was new, and it made her feel alive, and it gave her hope, and for the first time in a decade, Diana fell asleep with a smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but just imagine Mera in that classic scene looking over at Diana <3


End file.
